This invention attempts to address the problems posed by performance checking and fault diagnosis on vital artillery equipment. The self-propelled artillery vehicle has recently passed successfully through the testing phase of its development cycle, and has been put into batch production. It is understood to have addressed the gaps in this area with great success, People?s Liberation Army Daily reported.

To coincide with this happy event, the 28th August saw the first 40 junior college students enroll in the artillery studies program at the China Artillery Academy Nanjing Branch. The enrollment examination for the course was sponsored by the Chinese military universities. The students of the course will learn the skills and techniques of operating, repairing and maintaining this complex piece of equipment. They will be the first men amongst the Chinese army petty officer corps to acquire these skills.

In the past number of years, and in-step with Chinese army modernization, a greater amount of artillery equipment and expertise has been demanded. In particular, there has been a need for expert handling of self-propelled artillery repair and operation. However, due to the limitations of educational opportunities in this field, owing to a shortage of teaching systems in the area and a reliance on internal training, strong basic theory for single technologies has been slow to develop. This naturally presented a problem for the armed forces. The enrollment of the new course is therefore seen as a major step towards training development for a highly expert field within the army.

The duration of the course is 3 years and will include 1 year?s practical training in the army. The students will learn physics, machine theory, mechanical drawing, chassis repair skills, self-propelled artillery operation and control as well as lessons in cultural and military professionalism.

(china.org.cn by Wang Zhiyong, October 10, 2002)